Oakland A’s Tyler Wade (left) slides ahead of the tag from Chicago White Sox catcher Carlos Perez (36) at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Jul 1, 2023 (AP News Photo)

Chicago (36-49). 012 000 030. 0. – 6 10 2

Oakland (23-62). 100 011 200 1. – 7. 11.0.

10 innings

Time: 3:20

Attendance: 9,235

Saturday, July 1, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–On Friday, James Kaprielian was the A’s announced starting pitcher for this Saturday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. Yesterday, James Kaprielian also was placed on the 15 day injured list.

That’s at least partially why Kyle Muller took the mound for the at least current home team on this hot and hazy afternoon, during which the Athletics squeaked past the visitors, 7-6, in 10 innings. The haze burned off, but the heat remained. If the double play is a pitcher’s best friend, heat in the Coliseum is a pitcher’s nightmare.

Muller, the Atlanta Braves’ second round draft choice in 2016, was the A’s opening day pitcher this season and after three starts could boast a record of 0-0, 2.53 over 15-2/3 innings with a WHIP of 1.18. It was all downhill after that, and on May 23rd the A’s optioned Muller to Las Vegas in the batter friendly PCL, where he went 1-2, 6.59 before the A’s called up the 25 year old southpaw to start for them this afternoon.

Two double plays in five innings showed that Muller’s best friend didn’t desert him, but his stint on the mound, if not a nightmare, wasn’t a pleasant dream. He wasn’t sharp and allowed three runs, all earned, on six hits, one a homer, and four walks. He threw 86 pitches, 54 for strikes, and left trailing, 3-2. He escaped with a no decision and lowered his ERA to 7.79.

For their part, the Chisox went with 27 year old righty Dylan Crease, who came into today with a 3-3, 4.04 mark. In his last nine starts, however, he had gone 1-1, 2.82, with an opponents’ BA of .203. This, with a team that had a season record of 36-48. He toed the rubber hoping to notch his 40th career victory.

He failed in that attempt, leaving with the score tied and a runner on second in the bottom of the sixth. In 5-1/3 innings, he allowed three run, all earned, on six hits and three bases on balls. He struck out five batters. His pitch count reached 87, 54 of which were considered strikes. Like Muller, he got a no decision. His record now stands at 3-3, 4.10.

The green and gold got off to an early lead. Tony Kemp sent a lead off liner that bounced once before hitting the right center field wall between the Coca Cola ad and the line under the State Farm sign that separates balls in play from home runs. JJ Bleday’s sac fly to deep center brought him home.

The South Siders lost no time in erasing that deficit. Eloy Jiménez led off by lifting a 3-1, 88.9mph slider way back into left field, landing 433 feet from home. It was his 11th home run and 35th RBI of the year. Chicago sent seven men to the plate before that frame ended with the score tied at one.

They didn’t stop there. Tim Andersson’s lead off single to left center in the top of the third set the stage for two additional tallies when he and Luis Robert, Jr., who had followed. him with a single to right, were driven in by a single by Jiménez and Andrew Vaughn’s force out, respectively. The Pale Hose now were ahead, 3-1.

The A’s didn’t get another hit after Kemp’s lead off triple until Jordan Díaz and Tyler Wade opened the home half of the fifth with a pair of infield singles. Esteury Ruíz tried to sacrifice them up a base each, but Crease’s throw beat Díaz to third for a force out. Kemp flew out to center, advancing Wade to third.

JJ Bleday hit a hard liner that Zach Remillard made a great dive for but couldn’t hold on to, and Ward scored from third. We went into the sixth with the Chisox ahead, 3-2 and Austin Pruitt on the mound for the Athletics. He set the Chicagoans down in order, as did Lucas Erceg in the seventh.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Jace Peterson doubled to right center and scored on Noda’s two bagger to left center, tying the score at three and sending Crease to the showers, replaced by Gregory Santos. The reliever walked Díaz and surrendered a single to Wade that loaded the bases. Ruíz took. a called third strike for the second out. Then Kemp grounded out to second, ending the threat

Keynan Middleton retired the first two batters he faced in the home half of the seventh, but Seth Brown deposited a slider over the 367 foot sign in right, a shot that travelled 383 feet and Brown’s seventh homer and 20th RBI. Oh, yes, it also put the A’s up, 4-3.

But nothing’s easy in this vale of tears called the Oakland Coliseum. In the top of the eighth with Erceg back on the mound Robert smacked leadoff double to right center, and Jiménez walked. Vaughn was hit by a pitch while swinging at it for strike three and was ruled out after a lengthy rules check. Jake Burger went down swinging the normal way. Carlos Pérez pinch hit for Seby Zavala and line a double down the left field line that scored Frazier and sent Grandal to third.

That brought Sam Long to the mound for Oakland. He granted an intentional walk to Remillard to load the bases and an unintentional one to Benintendi that plated Grandal. Anderson hit a drive into the left field seats that had him circling the bases, but the play was reviewed, and the shot was called foul. Anderson then flew out to right, and the inning ended with the score 6-4, Chicago..

Joe Kelly was the pale hose pitcher in the home eighth. He walked Noda before fanning Díaz and Wade. Ruíz then dropped a double into just fair territory in right; Noda stopped his advance at third. He scored on a balk with Kemp aa the plate. Kemp’s single to first drove in Ruíz, who also had moved up on the balk. Bleday then hit a grounder that Remillard couldn’t handle at second. Pinch hitting Conner Capel flew out to end the inning in what now was a 6-6 tie.

Trevor May was called on to halt the White Sox in the top of the ninth. Robert singled to left. Jiménez popped out. Vaughn was hit by a pitch. Robert was caught trying to steal second, May to Kemp to Peterson. Chicago challenged the call, but it was confirmed. May struck Burger out to preserve the tie.

Reynaldo López was assigned the task of preservation for Chicago in the Oakland ninth. Although he allowed a walk and a single he succeeded.

Shitaro Fujinami faced Grandal with Burger the zombie runner at second as we went into extra innings. He retired Grandal and the Sox’ Carlos Pérez before plunking Remillard. Then Benintendi whiffed, and the A’s gained the enormous advantage of starting their half of the 10th with Wade at second and needing only one run to. win.

Kendall Graveman was on the mound. He struck out Ruíz on a foul bunt with two strikes. Kemp flew out to left; Wade held second. Remillard bobbled Bleday’s grounder to second and threw errantly to first. Díaz flew around to home. Both calls were confirmed on review. The crowd went wild … on chants of “Sell the team!”

Fujinami got the win. He’s now 4-7, 9.57. Graveman, now 4-1, 300, was the losing pitcher.

Sunday, the two rivals will face each other in the final game of this three set series. Paul Blackman (1-0, 3,77) will be Oakland’s starting pitcher. Michael Kopech (3-7, 4.08) will play that role for Chicago. Game time is set for 1:07.